Hi Jay, Thought I’d hit you in the hip pocket on some notes on an exciting new venture in The Barossa.
Alkina, on the Western side of Greenock, have just launched their first release wines and opened a cellar door. If you are in the Barossa, it is a must to visit. You can purchase a glass or flight of wines and sit down in stylish surroundings with a plate of Comté and San Daniele ham. Not a bad way to spend an hour or two.
Alkina is a well-funded venture, and nothing feels rushed or forced. Soil health is paramount, and the vineyards have been fully converted to biodynamics. Within the vineyards various plots have been identified and categorised into polygons that reflect their soil profiles. These plots are vinified separately, and this is really the ultimate respect of each micro-terroir that Alkina have at their disposal. It has taken several years to get the wines to a level where the Alkina team feel they are ready to be released and this is a stunning set of wines. So pure, bright and energetic. They are tiny production wines, with less than 50 dozen each made of the Polygon wines.
2020 Kin by Alkina Semillon: De-stemmed fruit spends five months on skins in a Georgian Kvevri. It is a gently nutty wine with preserved lemon and lantana aromas and flavours. It has some creaminess to the mid-palate and is very savoury on the finish. A calm and even wine.
2019 Kin by Alkina Field White: A field blend that is made up mainly of Semillon, Riesling and Trebbiano. This one is 9 months on skins and it has real build. There’s some bitter lemon, wild sage and lantana notes. It is vinous with real tension and chalky tannins carry the finish.
2020 Kin by Alkina Rosé: Old and young vine Grenache harvested relatively early and raised in concrete. It has sweet strawberry and tart cranberry fruits. There’s sherbet-like acidity and it possesses great energy. One of the finest Rosé wines from our country that we have tasted.
2020 Kin by Alkina Grenache: Grenache vines grown on fractured schist and it sees no oak, being raised only in concrete tulips. It is pure and unadulterated, showing crunchy and bright cherry aromas and flavours. It has a light savoury edge and is silky in the mouth. The finish is fresh, with granite-like tannins.
2018 Kin by Alkina Field Red: This is a field blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro grown on deep clay. It was raised in a 600L new oak barrel and is a rich wine, with bitter chocolate notes and a core of delicious raspberry fruit. It has supple tannins and is a lovely drink driven by its fruit
2019 Alkina Old Quarter Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro: Only 160 dozen made. A highly fragrant wine, with red and black fruits and plenty of licorice. It is an elegant wine possessing latent power. It is silky and layered with flavour and finishing with excellent persistence.
2018 Alkina Polygon No. 3 Grenache: Only 36 dozen made. A patch of Grenache off limestone and raised in a 10-year-old 300L barrel. It is 50% whole bunch. It has the most perfectly ripe sweet berry, cherry and plum fruits. In the mouth there’s great energy and terrific minerally detail. It builds through the palate and really fans out on the finish, lingering on and on. Such great balance and proportion.
2018 Alkina Polygon No. 5 Grenache: Only 47 dozen only made. Grenache off the Schist, 30% whole bunch and no new oak. There are ethereal florals and pure berry fruits. It is intense in the mouth but carries no excess weight. The palate is vinous silk and there’s a gentle flex of chalky tannin to the back-end. It is super-deep and super-long.
2019 Alkina Polygon No. 1 Shiraz: Only 45 dozen made. This is 100% whole bunch and loaded with floral spice. There’s some Northern Rhone-like green bean and exquisite dark berry fruit. It is rich and chewy but not heavy. There’s good grip to the finish and a lovely inner mouth perfume is left once swallowing.